AT A

General Assembly,

BEGUN AT

The Capitol, the twenty-fifth day of October, in the 9th year of the reign of our sovereign lady Anne, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, Queen, defender of the faith, &c. Anno Domini, 1710; and thence continued by several prorogations, to the seventh day of November, Anno Domini, 1711.

Alex. Spotswood, Esq.

Governor.

CHAP. I.

An Act for appointing Rangers.

HEREAS a great number of barbarous, disor

derly and lawless persons, of the Indian nations, have successively for many years last past, resided in and frequented the frontiers of this colony, and after the most horrid and notorious crimes by them committed, takeing the advantage of the large wast and uninhabited gronnds and woods, escape and avoid the hand of justice: For prevention whereof, and for the safeguard and secureing the said frontiers and the inhabitants thereof, from all injury, violence, spoyle and rapine of the said Indians.

[From MS.]

Preamble.

Be it enacted, by the Lieutenant-Governor, Council, and Burgesses, of this present General Assembly, and Governor to by the authority of the same, That from and after appoint lieuthe passing of this act, the lieutenant governor, or tenants of the commander in chief of this colony and dominion, rangers. for the time being, is impowered and desired, with the advice of the council, to constitute and appoint such persons as he shall think fitt, to be lieutenants or commanders of the rangers for the said frontiers; each of which lieutenants, so constituted and appointed, shall choose out and list eleven able bodyed men, with horses and accoutrements, arms and ammunition, residing as B-Vol. 4.

Limitation

of act.

refuse or wilfully neglect to observe, perform, or keep such orders and directions as shall from time to time be given by the lieut. governor or the commander in chief of this dominion, for the time being, to such lieutenant or commander relateing to the rangeing service, every person & persons so refusing or wilfully neglecting shall forfeit and loose all such pay as shall be then due and owing to him, or them, and shall suffer one month's imprisonment without bail or mainprize, such refusall or wilfull neglect being proved before the court of the county where such person & persons shall reside at the time of makeing the public claimes of the said county. And be it further enacted, That this act shall continue and be in force for one year from the end of this session of assembly, and for no longer time.

[From edit. 1733,p. 270.]

CHAP. II.

of county

courts, in

An Act directing the manner of granting Probats of
Wills, and Administration of Intestates Estates.

Jurisdiction I. E it enacted, by the lieut. governor, council, and
burgesses, of this present general assembly, and
it is hereby enacted, by the authority of the same, That
probats of
wills and ad. the county courts, and every of them, within their re-
ministrations spective counties, have and shall have lawful jurisdicti-
on and authority to hear and determine all causes, mat-
ters, suits, and controversies testamentary, which shall
be brought before them; and that they have and shall
have power to examine and take the proof of wills, and
to grant certificates to the governor, or commander in
chief of this colony and dominion, for the time being,
or to his deputy or deputies appointed for that purpose,
being a member or members of the said courts respect-
ively, of the proof of all such wills, in order to obtain
probats thereupon, or administration cum testamento
annexo, as the case shall require; and to hear and de-
county will termine the right of administration of the estate of per-
to be proved. sons dying intestate, in manner, and according to the

In what

several methods, rules, orders, and directions hereafter expressed and set down, that is to say: If any person, having a mansion-house, or other place of known residence and abode within this dominion, shall depart this life, and shall have disposed of his or her estate, or any part thereof, by will, such will shall be proved in